By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progress
Back in the 1970s, a boy of the age of about eight would sit on the top row of the Las Vegas Convention Center behind the visitor’s bench. There, with his father, he would watch the Runnin’ Rebels perform their magic in front of 6,300 screaming Rebels fans.
The UNLV pep band would play the fight song and the crowd would go crazy. The intimidation factor was so over whelming for the opponents they would leave the arena instead of face the crowd and the music during the Rebel introductions.
Hero’s like Glen “Gondo” Gondrezic, Leeeeewwww Brown, Eddie Owens, Reggie Theus, “Sudden” Sam Smith, Larry Moffat, Tony Smith. These along with a leader in the group known as the “Hardway Eight”, point guard Robert Smith, together was the first UNLV team to reach the final four and grace the hardwood floor of the famed Convention Center.
This team with there up tempo, run-and-gun offense was dubbed the “Runnin’ Rebels”, a name that has stuck with the program ever since.
They held the NCAA record for most points scored per game for the season at 110. They had 23 games in which they scored over one hundred points. And that was before there was a three point line.
The team went 29-3 including a tough 84-83 loss in the semi-finals in Atlanta to Phil Ford and the North Carolina Tar heels.
Moapa Valley also has a history on the floor of the Convention Center. The Pirates have won a few state championships on that floor. The 1967, ‘68, ‘76 and ‘81 Pirate squads.
Last week the MVHS heritage and that of the 1977 UNLV team came together briefly. The star point guard Robert Smith traveled out from Las Vegas on Saturday, November 26, and spent a couple of hours with the lady Pirate program, teaching them the famed UNLV “Amoeba” defense.
Robert Smith is considered by some to be the best point guard in UNLV history, and still holds the UNLV record for free throw percentage in a career at 88% and the single season record 98-106 for 93 %. He is also seventh in assists.
Robert played seven years in the NBA drafted in the 3rd round by the Denver Nuggets and seven more in the European league in France.
I addition to the clinic held on Saturday, Smith will be helping his friend Moapa Valley girls head coach Jerry Swanson this season in some of the girls’ games in Las Vegas as well as making a few more stops in the Valley for practices.
“I’ve known Jerry since 1991 when we coached at Gorman,” Smith said. “That was after I retired.”
The MVHS girls didn’t know who Smith was. Furthermore, when asked if they knew who Jerry Tarkanian was they were stumped.
But by the time the instruction was finished, the girls were appreciative of the time Smith had spent with them. They posed for a group picture and he signed a few autographs for a few dads including a piece of the original floor of the Convention Center.
“There’s a lot of my sweat from the hard work I’ve done on that floor.” Smith said as he signed it, “Robert Smith #10 ‘77 Rebels.”
It’s a piece of history that not-so-young man has. One of his heroes signed it and he won a state championship on it. Priceless!
